Still News Articles

ATSU Partners with Arizona Governor

ATSU is a new partner in developing the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition. The project, which stems from a Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust grant awarded to the Arizona Governor's office, will aid the state's elder population and benefit ATSU students with fun learning experiences. The Mesa Campus Geriatrics Initiative Committee has been working closely with the governor's office on the issue of falls prevention in the elder population, and in September, two faculty members accompanied the governor's representative to the States Coalition on Falls Prevention Conference in Washington, D.C.

Governor's Conference on Aging

The Arizona Campus Geriatric Committee sponsored the Falls Prevention track at the Governor's Conference on Aging held May 14-16 at the Mesa Convention Center and Mariott Mesa Hotel. Held every other year, the conference was hosted by the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging and the DES Division of Aging & Adult Services. Assistant professor Jeff Alexander, Ph.D., presented on exercise and fall prevention, and D.O. and PT students provided health screenings for attendees.

$5,000 Support Fund Available to Students and Faculty

"The United States is facing an immediate and growing crisis in providing care for our aging population," said Shivi Agrawal, medical student coordinator of the American Medical Student Association's Geriatrics Interest Group, which increases and fosters student interest and participation in geriatrics research. "This age group is projected to almost double from 37 million today to nearly 72 million by 2030. Moreover, the number of geriatricians today - about 7,000 - is expected to remain constant or even decline, and not expand to the projected 36,000 needed to meet the needs of this population"

Seniors Challenged by Nintendo Wii

When presented with the opportunity to play video games while teaching seniors at Apache Junction Senior Center about wellness, a group of 20 PT, OT, PA, ATC, Au.D., and D.O. students immediately rose to the challenge. According to the center, less than 10 percent of their population was involved in health and wellness programs. Turning to ATSU for help, a group of students developed and implemented a "Wii-hab" program that has since increased wellness participation at the center.

Fourth Annual Lecture on Aging

The fourth annual Lecture on Aging was held April 4. Keynote speaker Sue Levkoff, MSW, SM, Sc.D., lectured on "Integration of Mental Health Services for Older Adults in Primary Care." Dr. Levkoff is associate professor of psychiatry at Brigham & Women's Hospital and associate professor of the Department of Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

ATSU to Hold Fourth Annual Lecture on Aging

The ATSU Committee on Aging will host its fourth annual Lecture on Aging on April 4 to enhance healthcare providers' understanding of the challenges and opportunities in treating and caring for older patients. Keynote speaker Sue Levkoff, MSW, SM, Sc.D., will lecture on "Integration of Mental Health Services for Older Adults in Primary Care." Dr. Levkoff is associate professor of psychiatry at Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School and associate professor of the Department of Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Students Enthusiastic About Geriatric Initiative

In 2003, the ATSU Board of Directors initiated a University Geriatric Initiative in light of the growing healthcare challenges of an aging society. The Arizona campus is actively engaged in geriatric outreach programs. According to Assistant Professor Elton Bordenave, M.Ed., CHC, Arizona Campus committee chair for the Program on Aging, the goal of the outreach programs is to increase the quality of life, health, and wellness for seniors while promoting student healthcare education.

ATSU Hosts Second Annual Lecture on Aging

The United States spends 16 percent of its gross national product (GNP) on healthcare, and yet citizens of other countries live far longer than those in this country. In fact, life span in the United States normally ranks with contries such as Cuba who have no money to spend on a high-tech healthcare infrastructure.

Dr. John Morley Headlines Annual Lecture on Aging

The second annual ATSU Lecture on Aging will be held at 2 p.m., April 7, at the ATSU campus in Kirksville, MO, and will be simultaneously broadcast at the ATSU campus in Mesa, Arizona, and made available online as well. Dr. John E. Morley, M.B., B.Ch., will present the lecture on health promotion and healthy aging.

Dr. Morley is Dammert Professor of Gerontology at Saint Louis University Medical School and director of the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center at the St. Louis V.A. Medical Center. Dr. Morley was educated at the University of Witwatersrand in his native South Africa. He received postgraduate training at UCLA and is board certified in endocrinology and geriatrics.

ATSU-Kirksville Hosts Aging in Place Summit

Representatives from four Missouri "Aging in Place" sites recently met in Kirksville at ATSU's Senior Living Campus to discuss progress in the development of the program, as well as challenges they currently are facing. In March 2002, the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services designated sites in Springfield, Cape Girardeau, Columbia, and Kirksville as pilot locations of "Aging in Place" models for the state of Missouri. The Aging in Place model of care for the elderly offers healthcare services to older adults so they will not have to move from one level of care delivery to another as their healthcare needs increase.